July 15, 2016

Dear Friends,

Here is the 165th issue of our weekly gardening newsletter for Houston, the Gulf Coast and beyond. We really appreciate all of our readers hanging in there with us, sharing stories and inspiring us in so many ways. 
 
Thanks so much!
 
This newsletter is a project of The Lazy Gardener, Brenda Beust Smith, John Ferguson and Mark Bowen (John and Mark are with Nature's Way Resources). We also have a great supporting cast of contributing writers and technical specialists who will chime in and tweak away regularly. We would love to keep receiving your input on this newsletter . . . . comments . . . . suggestions . . . . questions. . . .Email your thoughts to: [email protected]. Thanks so much for your interest.
 
Please  or sign yourself up to receive this newsletter by clicking the "Join Our Mailing List" link just below. We will never sell or share our mailing list to protect the privacy of our subscribers.

Enjoy!

 




 WINNING PLANTS - MAKE SURE THEY'RE GOOD 
FOR US!  . . . TEXAS BUTTERFLY EFFECT

By BRENDA BEUST SMITH 
 
It's certainly frustrating when a highly recommended flower -- planted exactly in the right sun, drainage, soil, etc. -- just doesn't survive. Or, if it does, it doesn't thrive.
 
The key phrase is "highly recommended."  By whom?  Someone relatively local?  Or some national organization/business?
 
If it's from a neighbor, a gardening-related group in your general area or an independent nursery that survives itself MAINLY on our satisfaction with purchases, then recommendations are certainly worth our attention.
 
If it's from points pretty far north, east or west of here - even if still in Texas - buy with reservations in mind.  Be sure you are aware of any necessary adaptations -- especially when it comes to drainage. 

I've observed that plants which may thrive in North Texas and areas to the East, often require more cold in winter than we get. The Greater Houston area is a fairly unique subtropical area. 

Most plant hardiness maps are geared to how cold it gets.  What they don't take into account is the "heat tolerance" -- a far more important guideline for us.

We may share high summer temperatures with other areas to the west and south. But they often don't have our spring and fall monsoons or our thick gumbo soil. If you don't live in an area with sandy soil, plants that require excellent drainage may require raised beds here.

I know, it's all pretty frustrating.
 
One group we can usually count on, provided sites get good drainage, are Texas Superstars, a registered trademarked creation of Texas A&M University's AgriLife Research (our old "Extension Service).
 
Periodically A&M's GREEN TRENDS e-newsletter announces new Texas Superstars such two takes on old favorites: Basham's Party Pink crepe myrtle and Brazilian Red Hots Alternanthera.
 
Left, Bill Basham with his incredible Basham's Party Pink crape myrtle. Center and right, a new take 
on an old favorite, Brazilian Red Hots Alternanthera. Right, a frangipani vine (Dale Phillips photo).
 
The tout to Basham's Party Pink crape myrtle takes me back, not years, but decades!  Bill Basham, a former City of Houston Horticulturist, was a powerful force in Houston's gardening circles back in the '60s & '70s, as Dr. Bill Welch (who took the pictures of Bill and his tree at left above) details in his article: Basham�€™s Party Pink Crape Myrtle... A Houston Favorite with a Past

(Only we 'of a certain age' can tell you these fun things!)

Brazilian Red Hots is a new introduction of the old favorite, butterfly-attracting Joseph's Coat, an Alternanthera touted as extremely vigorous with exceptionally vibrant color. Perennial, 24-36 inches tall with a 12-18-inch spreading mound, direct sun or partial shade.
 
One caution however.  July and August are so hot, it's hard for plants to set strong roots. One technique: keep it in a container in a "relatively" cool shady spot until fall. Dig a hole and set the container down in it.  In fall, plant in the ground.
 
 
A NEW-TO-ME (and to reader Dale Phillips) is a "frangipani vine" (pictured at right above). CayDee Caldwell at Caldwell's Nursery in Rosenberg (where the plant was purchased) says it's a Chonamorpha alba from Thailand, and is quite rare.
 
Don't expect fragrance (given the name), CayDee warns.  None here, she and Dale agree. But beautiful it certainly is!  Caydee has left it outside for the past several years to test its winter hardiness. No problem. It loves full sun, has bloomed for months for her and says its vigorous growth reminds her of the malay rubber plant, Cryptostegia.
 
This one seems fine.  But "vigorous growth" (normally a great description for lazy gardeners) these days means do your research, especially with plants you don't know well. 

Don't ignore invasive plant warnings when experts speak out. Unfortunately, these days, it's often a matter of keeping up with updated changes in designation as well. 

One reason we've lost so much natural habitat for butterflies, hummingbirds, etc., is the now ubiquitous Chinese tallow. Especially in open fields and prairies, it multiplies far FAR faster than our native flora, overpowering and wiping out plants beneficial wildlife desperately need.
 
Tall purple ruellia wasn't considered invasive decades ago, neither were kudzu or water hyacinth before they took over the world. In my youth, wisteria was a treasured bloomer. Now folks are begging us NOT to plant these, and if you've driven up Louisiana's western border in spring, you'll know why.
 
A quartet of invasives: l to r, wisteria killing a pine tree, water hyacinths sucking 
all the oxygen out of a Texas waterway, Chinese tallow overpowering native plants 
needed by native wildlife and tall blue ruellia (Mexican petunia) driving some gardener berserk.
 
 
SPEAKING OF NATIVE WILDLIFE . . .Neat story in a recent  quoting Science Daily on the "Texas Butterfly Effect." The article opens: "How can scientists better understand summer monarch butterfly populations in the Midwest? Check spring weather in Texas.."  

Seems Michigan State University researchers studying climate change found that our spring conditions have a far greater effect on how many monarchs folks in Ohio & Illinois will see in summer than what summer weather is like in those areas. Watta ya know!
 
 
Left. Watch Texas in Spring to see what monarchs (above) will do rest of summer. 
Right, Landscaping lessons learned at M. D. Anderson will be share in free workshop (below).
 

LEARN ABOUT SMART WATERING! So many of our readers are involved in large gardening projects, thought you might be interested in this free "Institutional Landscaping the WaterSmart Way' workshop Tues., July 19, 9am-noon at UTMB Galveston Campus. Among the many speakers will be John Ferguson's discussion of composting. Other topics include green infrastructure and lessons learned from M. D. Anderson Cancer Center's WaterSmart landscaping. Details: watersmart.tamu.edu
 
If your neighborhood, church, school, etc., is looking for a great speaker, WaterSmart provides free, entertaining speakers anxious to share multiple easily-adapted ideas.
 
 
* THANKS TO THOSE who shared their own BFF plant stories. Especially liked the one from Christine Fitzgerald whose high school gift from her mother (luggage from Fingerhut), arrived with a tiny Kalmyra orange seedling as a bonus gift. Mother's wagging finger accompanied her warning: "God help you if you let it die!" That "seedling" turned 46 this past May. It may not be as vigorous as it once was, Christine noted, and now produces only tiny bitter oranges, but she must be doing something right. Or maybe, she wrote, "I'm just under the curse of that wagging finger. . ."



 
When Jacob Martin, left, isn't growing fresh ingredients for area chefs to serve, 
he's overseeing MERCER volunteers in the greenhouse and growing areas.
 
TIP O' THE TROWEL TO MERCER BOTANIC GARDEN'S GREENHOUSE MANAGER JACOB MARTIN, who might just also have had a hand in those fresh ingredients last served up by your favorite restaurant!
 
Jacob Martin set out to find a career that blended his interest in the food industry with his love of the outdoors. During his earlier stint working for Buchanan's Native Plants, he was fascinated by how many chefs came in looking for fresh ingredients.  
 
Jacob started his very-successful Old School Produce, an Oak Forest-based agriculture business that provides chefs with fast-maturing microgreens, along with hard-to-find herbs and produce, such as Chaya and sunflower sprouts. He started out cutting four or five trays a week. Now they average 250 a week.
 
Even so, Jacob has taken on the added duties of Mercer's greenhouse manager, overseeing hundreds of seedlings and cuttings, propagating rare and endangered plants and working in the herbarium and seed bank.

*  *  *

The best way to reach Jacob to talk about growing for chefs is to volunteer to work in the Mercer greenhouse and nursery. Details: hcp4.net/Community/Parks/Mercer/Volunteering
 
Brenda's column in the free, emailed LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS HOUSTON GARDEN NEWSLETTER
is based on her 45+ years as the Houston Chronicle's Lazy Gardener.  Two favors?  1. If I don't respond
to an email, assume I didn't receive it and send it again! 2. Always check the calendar for submitted event notices.
If you don't see them, let me know immediately at [email protected]

 
 
 
 
JOHN'S CORNER 
 


News from the wonderful world of soil and plants
 
 
 

 

A multi-university led by Northern Arizona University published in the Journal Science (Science Daily, June 30), was on microbes and carbon dioxide (CO2) usage by plants. Many studies have suggested that increasing carbon dioxide in the air will make plants grow faster. However, this only holds true if other nutrients like nitrogen (N) are available. They found that Ectomycorrhizal fungi on tree roots can collect nitrogen from the soil even when it is scarce. At the same time the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi do not provide the same benefits to grass. Without nitrogen, the CO2 had no effect, which confirms that nitrogen limits a plants response to rising CO2 in the atmosphere. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi specialize in collecting phosphorous (P) not nitrogen. They found, that it was only the plants that form Ectomycorrhizal fungi associations that could use the extra CO2. This is another reason not to use toxic fungicides, as it will limit plant growth.

Another benefit of mycorrhizal fungi is to help pecan trees obtain water even in drought conditions. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Pecan Seedlings Alleviate Effect of Restricted Water Supply, HortScience 51(3):212-215, 2016

In the online Journal mBio in June 2016, a study from The University of California has found that the microbes in the soil affected the terroir of wines. The microbes were responsible for specific chemical components in the finished wines. This supports the belief that organically grown wines have better flavor as organically managed soils have much healthier microbiology.

The journal Nutrition had an article showing that eating grapes help counter oxidative damage to our eyes and increase the health of our retina. Note: Other papers I have read found that grapes with seeds had far more of the beneficial compounds.

A study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the journal Scientific Reports July 2016 (Science Daily) confirmed that a good bacterium (Wolbachia pipientis) can block the transmission of the Zika virus in mosquitoes. This same bacterium blocks the spread of the diseases from dengue and chikungunya viruses. This good bacterium is found in 60 percent of the worlds insects. They found that mosquitoes carrying this bacterium could not transmit the virus.

For those concerned about the dangerous effects of GMO foods on our health the Organic Consumers Association has published a report on how much money in campaign contributions (bribes) is being paid to our congressional representatives to block GMO labeling. It is found at: https://action.organicconsumers.org/o/50865/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=18302

An article on Modern Food Processing on the Dr. Mercola's web site (July 2, 2016) talks about how gluten from wheat and other grains is affecting our health. Wheat and other grains contain many times more gluten than 50 years ago. Then bread makers then often add extra gluten to create a more spongy texture. Gluten stimulates a molecule in our gut that opens up the cell lining leading to what is known as "leaky gut syndrome". The full article can be found at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/07/02/gluten-food-processing.aspx

Many of our common health problems are tied to what's happening to our gut. The problem becomes worse as farmers now spray mature wheat with glyphosate (i.e. not being used for weed control) since it increases the yield and makes the wheat easier to harvest (used as a desiccant). This complicates our health as glyphosate kills good bacteria. It was patented as an antibiotic in 2001 (US Patent #7,771,736)! Glyphosate has firmly been linked to many health problems as the chart below indicates (anything over 0.9 is an extremely strong correlation). As the amount of glyphosate applied has increased (red line), our health problems have increased.

Note: I once heard the numbers in the chart below explained using this analogy. In the game Russian roulette, using a six-shooter there is one bullet or a 0.166 chance of dying. If one puts five bullets it the gun there is still only a 0.83 chance of dying. If the EPA, USDA or FDA was evaluating the dangers of the gun they would say there is no proof of danger, since one time out of six, it does not kill you.


Chart courtesy of Dr. Thierry Vrain from his lecture at Rice University a few months ago sponsored by the Organic Horticulture Benefits Alliance (OHBA).

Many studies have shown that glyphosate accumulates in our tissues over time. Glyphosate was originally patented as a demineralizer to clean pipes (US Patent # 3,160,632). As a result, it ties up the nutrients we need for good health and prevents them from being absorbed by our bodies.

A question that I often hear is "How does this happen?" Here are a couple reports that our government agencies are not doing their jobs.

An article in the Health Freedom Alliance newsletter reported that due to an investigation by the Inspector General's Office, a federal lab was closed in January for falsifying safety data for 18 years.

The Pulse of Natural Health Newsletter also published an article on corruption in the FDA allowing unsafe toxic drugs, etc. to be released: http://www.anh-usa.org/systemic-corruption-at-fda-reported/

A couple good books on the subject are:

PHARMOCRACY - How Corrupt Deals and Misguided Medical Regulations are Bankrupting America -- AND What to Do About It, William Faloon, Praktikos Books, 2011, ISBN: 978-1-60766-011-8

FDA - Failure, Deception, Abuse - The Story of an Out-of-Control Government Agency and What It Means For Your Health, Life Extension Foundation, Praktikoa Books, 2010, ISBN: 978-1-60766-001-9

An article in the Food Revolution Network newsletter (June 29, 2106) summarizes a lot of research on the spice curcumin from the turmeric plant (Curcuma longa) which is a member of the ginger family. It was found that it heals spinal cord injuries better than surgery or drugs. Curcumin has also been found to reduce inflammation and to have anti-cancer properties. They found that the chemical piperine, which is in black pepper, helps increase the absorbability of cucumin. The June 2016 issue of Life Extension mentioned that curcumin also interferes with the development of prostate cancer.

A paper presented at the Exposition of the American Chemical Society found that blueberries help prevent cognitive impairment. Fresh blueberries work best. We have many varieties of blueberries that grow well in the Houston area, which can be added to ones garden.

A paper by the American Academy of Pediatrics (April 30, 2016) found that in areas where mosquito spraying occurred there was a 25% higher chance that children would have an autism disorder.

In the Journal Nature Plants, there was an article by researchers at Washington
State University called "Organic Agriculture key to feeding the world sustainably". They reviewed hundreds of studies that showed organic farming can produce sufficient yields, be profitable for farmers, protect and improve the environment and be safer for farm workers.

There was a good article in the February 2016 issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives called "Healthy Ground, Healthy Atmosphere: Recarbonizing the Earths Soils". Things like using cover crops increased corn yields by 36-44%. They found that conventional agriculture practices deplete carbon levels in the soil (organic matter) and reduce the amount of micronutrients in the soil. The result is that plants growing in this soil and that livestock that eats the plants contain lower amounts of vitamins and minerals necessary for optimum human health. If we want healthy soils, to grow healthy plants from flowers to fruits and vegetables, gardeners need to use good quality sources of organic matter that is found in good compost and humates.

Several studies have now confirmed that people whom eat butter from grass fed cattle (not feedlot, grain fed beef) have fewer heart attacks. Butter from grass fed beef is a major source of heart healthy nutrients. Butterfat is highly complex as it contains 400 different fatty acids, and many fat-soluble vitamins. Many of the fatty acids in butter can affect our physiology and biochemistry leading to major health benefits. Grass fed butter is much higher in Omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin K-2. CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) found in butter has powerful health effects and is popular as fat loss supplement. Grass fed butter has five times more CLA than grain fed. A study from Australia found that people whom ate the most full-fat dairy has a 69% lower risk of heart disease than people whom ate the least.

As I was writing this article another report on butter came in. In the July 06, 2016 newsletter from the Health Freedom Alliance, there was another article on the benefits of real butter. Between 1920-1960 the consumption of butter dropped from eighteen pounds per person per year to four pounds per year. At the same time, incidents of heart disease rose to become the number one killer! A few points they mention is: butter contains the most easily absorbed form of vitamin A, it contains a number of antioxidants to protect against free radical damage that weakens our arteries, it contains vitamin E, and it is a rich source of selenium (Se) containing more per gram than herring or wheat germ. One study found that men that ate butter had half the risk of developing heart disease than those whom ate margarine. I quote "People have been eating butter for a long, long time. Heart disease, cancer, and diabetes were virtually unknown until the last century or so. When we started eating Crisco, margarine, soybean, canola, and cottonseed meal we got sick". Just a tablespoon of butter per day was linked to a 4% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Cows fed GMO grains, that are drugged, vaccinated, and kept in small quarters (feed-lots) result in toxic milk and butter. Only purchase butter from organic grass fed cattle then the health benefits are endless. Note: Conventional butter contains pesticides, antibiotics, and added growth hormones. Butter's beneficial components include antioxidants, butyric acid for colon health, CLA, iodine (I) lauric acid for the immune system, lecithin to protect our cells from oxidation, vitamins A, D, and E, and vitamin K for proper blood clotting and bone health. Every cell in our body contains saturated fat and cholesterol, which contributes to proper digestive function, growth and other essential processes.

Speaking of omega-3 fatty acids, a paper in the Journal Translational Psychiatry has found that eating omega 3's supports a reduction in major depressive disorders.

We have known for some time that eating fresh broccoli 3-5 times per week can reduce the risk of breast, prostrate, and colon cancers. Research from the University of Illinois has found that it helps protect against liver cancer also. The reasons to have a vegetable garden or at least buy fresh local foods continues to grow.

Our health starts with the soil and how we take care of it (do not destroy it with toxic horticultural chemicals). We are told in the bible to "study nature and let it teach us". The more this is being done we find how marvelous God's creation is.





                                                                    *   *   *
 
WEEKLY GARDENING EVENTS &
ANNOUNCEMENTS 
CALENDAR

TO SUBMIT AN EVENT FOR THIS CALENDAR, PLEASE NOTE.
Events NOT submitted in the EXACT written format below may take two weeks or longer
to be reformatted/retyped. After that point, if your event does not appear, please email us.
Submit to: [email protected] 
 
If we inspire you to attend any of these events, please let them know you heard about it in
THE LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS HOUSTON GARDEN NEWSLETTER 
 
 



 
SAT, JULY 16; FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING by HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS. 10am-Noon. Maude Smith Marks Library, 1815 Westgreen Blvd., Katy. Free. hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/docs/2016-green-thumb.pdf281-855-5600

SUN., JULY 17: EXPLORING TAIWAN'S FERN DIVERSITY by Adam Black, 2pm, Judson Robinson Jr. Community Center, 2020 Hermann Dr.  Free.  Texas Gulf Coast Fern Society event.  tgcfernsoc.org  

MON., JULY 18: OPEN GARDEN DAY, 8:30-11am, Genoa Friendship Garden, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd. Harris County Master
Gardeners at Precinct 2 event. Free. hcmga.tamu.edu  
 
TUES., JULY 19; FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING by HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS. 6:30-8:30 pm, Spring Branch Memorial Library, 930 Corbindale. Free. hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/docs/2016-green-thumb.pdf281-855-5600
 
THURS., JULY 21; FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING by HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS. 6:30-8:30 pm. Freeman Branch Library, 16616 Diana Lane.Free. hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/docs/2016-green-thumb.pdf281-855-5600

SAT., JULY 23: PLUMERIA SOCIETY OF AMERICA SHOW & SALE, 9:30am-3pm, Fort Bend Country Fairgrounds 4310 Texas Highway 36, Rosenberg. theplumeriasociety.org

SAT., JULY 23: AQUAPONICS, by ROBIN COLLINS, 9-10am; Galveston County AgriLife Extension Building, Carbide Park, 4102-B Main St. (Hwy 519), La Marque. Master Gardeners event. Free, but register: [email protected]; http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/ 
 
SAT., JULY 23: PECKERWOOD GARDEN OPEN DAY, 10am-2pm tours, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. peckerwoodgarden.org 979-826-3232; [email protected]

SAT., JULY 23: FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING, 9:30am-noon, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Moran Hall, 5555 Hermann Park Dr. Urban Harvest event. $45. 713-880-5540;  urbanharvest.org.

SAT., JULY 23: WATER SMARTS: DOING IT RIGHT!  9-11am, Montgomery County AgriLife Extension Office, 9020 Airport Road, Conroe. $5. Master Gardener event. 936-539-7824; mcmga.com/

TUES., JULY 26: HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS OPEN GARDEN DAY & SEMINAR: FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING 10-11 am, 
Weekley Community Center at 8440 Greenhouse Road. Free.  [email protected]\

SAT., JULY 30: SUCCESSFUL FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING by LUKE STRIPLING, 9-11:30 am, Galveston County AgriLife Extension Building, Carbide Park, 4102-B Main St. (Hwy 519), La Marque. Master Gardeners event. Free, but register: [email protected]; http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/

SAT., AUG. 6: PECKERWOOD INSIDER'S Tour, 10am, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. Garden Conservancy event. $10. Register: peckerwoodgarden.org,  979-826-3232; [email protected] 
    
THURS, AUG. 11: CONTAINER GARDENING BY HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS. 6:30-8:30 pm. Barbara Bush Library, 6817 Cypresswood Dr., Spring. Free. hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/docs/2016-green-thumb.pdf; 281-855-5600

THURS., AUG. 11: ROSES OF RUSSIA, 7:30pmCherie Flores Garden Pavilion, 1500 Hermann Dr. Free. Houston Rose Society event. houstonrose.org

SAT., AUG. 13: STARTING A COMMUNITY OR SCHOOL GARDEN WORKSHOP, 8:30am-2:30pm,
University of St. Thomas, Malloy Hall, Rm 017, 2812 Yoakum Blvd. Urban Harvest event. $20. 713-880-5540;  urbanharvest.org.

SAT.-SUN., AUG. 13-14: FALL HOME & GARDEN SHOW, Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, 1601 Lake Robbins Dr., The Woodlands, WoodlandsShows.com
  
TUES., AUG. 16: CONTAINER GARDENING by HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS. 6:30-8:30 pm, Spring Branch Memorial Library, 930 Corbindale. Free. hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/docs/2016-green-thumb.pdf; 281-855-5600
  
TUE.S, AUG. 16:  GARDENING BY THE SQUARE FOOT, by JON JOHNS, 6:30-8:30 pm.  Galveston County AgriLife Extensio Building, Carbide Park, 4102-B Main St. (Hwy 519), La Marque. Master Gardener event. Free, but register at  [email protected]; http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/

THURS., AUG. 18: CONTAINER GARDENING by HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS. 6:30-8:30 pm. Freeman Branch Library, 16616 Diana Lane. Free. hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/docs/2016-green-thumb.pdf; 281-855-5600
   
SAT, AUG. 20: CONTAINER GARDENING by HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS. 10am-Noon. Maude Smith Marks Library, 1815 Westgreen Blvd., Katy. Free. hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/docs/2016-green-thumb.pdf281-855-5600

MON. AUG. 22: ORGANIC METHODS IN GARDENING- THE SOIL FOOD WEB, by JOHN FERGUSON, South Montgomery County Friends of The Library (SMCFOL), 2pm, Mitchell Library, 8125 Ashland Way, The Woodlands. 281-681-0470

TUES., AUG.  23: HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS OPEN GARDEN DAY & SEMINAR: CONTAINER GARDENING 10-11 am, Weekley Community Center,8440 Greenhouse Road. Free. [email protected]

SAT., AUG 27: PECKERWOOD GARDEN OPEN DAY, 10am-2pm tours, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. peckerwoodgarden.org 979-826-3232; [email protected]

SAT., AUG. 27:  ARRANGING GARDEN FLOWERS, by JACKIE AUER, 9-11am, & GROWING STRAWBERRIES by ROBERT MARSHALL, 1-2pm, Galveston County AgriLife Extension Building, Carbide Park, 4102-B Main St. (Hwy 519), La Marque.  Galveston County Master Gardener event. Free, but register at  [email protected]; http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/
  
WED., AUG 31:  CHILDREN'S PHOTO & PRESCHOOL PICTURE CONTESTS ENTRY DEADLINE. Matzke Butterfly Garden competition. Contest rules: matzkebutterflygarden.blogspot.com

SAT., SEP 3 : PECKERWOOD INSIDER'S TOUR, 10am and 6pm, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. Garden Conservancy event. $15. Register:peckerwoodgarden.org, 979-826-3232; [email protected]
  
SAT., SEP 24: PECKERWOOD GARDEN OPEN DAY, 10am-2pm tours, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. peckerwoodgarden.org 979-826-3232; [email protected]
   
SAT., OCT 1 : PECKERWOOD INSIDER'S TOUR, 10am and 6pm, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. Garden Conservancy event. $15. Register: peckerwoodgarden.org, 979-826-3232; [email protected]

SAT.-SUN., OCT. 1-2: SPRING BRANCH AFRICAN VIOLET CLUB ANNUAL ALL SALE, 10am-4pm Sat., 10am-3pm Sun., Judson Robinson Jr. Community Center
, 2020 Hermann Dr. 281-748-8417, [email protected]
     
SAT., OCT. 8: PECKERWOOD GARDEN OPEN DAY, 10am-2pm tours, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. peckerwoodgarden.org 979-826-3232; [email protected]

TUES., OCT. 11: GROWING PLUMERIAS, 7:30pm, Cherie Flores Garden Pavillion, Hermann Park Conservancy, 1500 Hermann Dr. Free. Plumeria Society of America event. theplumeriasociety.org

OCT. 21-23: AMERICAN ROSE SOCIETY SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICT CONVENTION. houstonrose.org.

SAT., OCT 24: PECKERWOOD GARDEN OPEN DAY, 10am-2pm tours, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. peckerwoodgarden.org, 979-826-3232; [email protected]
    
SAT., NOV 5 : PECKERWOOD INSIDER'S TOUR, 10am and 6pm, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. Garden Conservancy event. $15. Register:peckerwoodgarden.org, 979-826-3232; [email protected]
   
SAT., NOV 12: PECKERWOOD GARDEN OPEN DAY, 10am-2pm tours, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. peckerwoodgarden.org 979-826-3232; [email protected]
   
SAT., NOV 26: PECKERWOOD GARDEN OPEN DAY, 10am-2pm tours, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. peckerwoodgarden.org, 979-826-3232; [email protected]
   
SAT., DEC 3 : PECKERWOOD INSIDER'S TOUR, 10am and 6pm, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. Garden Conservancy event. $15. Register:peckerwoodgarden.org, 979-826-3232; [email protected]
    
SAT., DEC 17: PECKERWOOD GARDEN OPEN DAY, 10am-2pm tours, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. peckerwoodgarden.org, 979-826-3232; [email protected]
  
If we inspire you to attend any of these events,
please let them know you heard about it in . . .

THE LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS NEWSLETTER!
 
 
TO SUBMIT AN EVENT FOR THIS CALENDAR, PLEASE NOTE.
Events NOT submitted in the EXACT written format below may take two weeks or longer
to be reformatted/retyped. After that point, if your event does not appear, please email us.
Submit to: [email protected]  
 
 
 
THIS NEWSLETTER IS MADE
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ADOPTABLE DOG OF THE WEEK

DIESEL

Diesel was abandoned by his owners when they moved, and he ended up at Montgomery County Animal Shelter. 

Diesel is a American Blue Pittbull Mix and is thought to be about 10 years old. 

He knows basic commands- is housebroken and crate trained- loves everyone he meets... Loves bones, treats and squeaky toys- even likes a nice jog. He has a good amount of life to live and would love to have somewhere to spend it. If he has siblings- they have to be female. 

Diesel loves to play and socialize and is so much fun to have around.

He is fixed and has all of his shots.

If interested in adopting Diesel, please reply to this newsletter and type "Diesel" in the subject line. Diesel is not at the shelter currently. He is in foster care.
                                             


                                                ABOUT US



 
BRENDA BEUST SMITH
 
WE KNOW HER BEST AS THE LAZY GARDENER . . . 

. . . but Brenda Beust Smith is also:

   * a national award-winning writer & editor
   * a nationally-published writer & photographer 
   * a national horticultural speaker
   * a former Houston Chronicle reporter
   
When the Chronicle discontinued Brenda's 45-year-old Lazy Gardener" print column a couple of years ago, it ranked as the longest-running, continuously-published local newspaper column in the Greater Houston area.

Brenda's gradual sideways step from Chronicle reporter into gardening writing led first to an 18-year series of when-to-do-what Lazy Gardener Calendars, then to her Lazy Gardener's Guide book and now to her Lazy Gardener's Guide on CD (which retails for $20. However, $5 of every sale is returned to the sponsoring group at her speaking engagements).

A Harris County Master Gardener, Brenda has served on the boards of many Greater Houston area horticulture organizations and has hosted local radio and TV shows, most notably a 10+-year Lazy Gardener run on HoustonPBS (Ch. 8) and her call-in "EcoGardening" show on KPFT-FM. 

Brenda recently ended her decades-long stint as Production Manager of the Garden Club of America's BULLETIN magazine. Although still an active horticulture lecturer and broad-based freelance writer,  Brenda's main focus now is  THE LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS HOUSTON GARDEN NEWSLETTER with John Ferguson and Mark Bowen of Nature's Way Resources.

A native of New Orleans and graduate of St. Agnes Academy and the University of Houston, Brenda lives in Aldine and is married to the now retired Aldine High School Coach Bill Smith. They have one son, Blake.

Regarding this newsletter, Brenda is the lead writer, originator of it and the daily inspiration for it. We so appreciate the way she has made gardening such a fun way to celebrate life together for such a long time.
 
 
JOHN FERGUSON
 
John is a native Houstonian and has over 27 years of business experience. He owns Nature's Way Resources, a composting company that specializes in high quality compost, mulch, and soil mixes. He holds a MS degree in Physics and Geology and is a licensed Soil Scientist in Texas. 
 
John has won many awards in horticulture and environmental issues. He represents the composting industry on the Houston-Galveston Area Council for solid waste. His personal garden has been featured in several horticultural books and "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine. His business has been recognized in the Wall Street Journal for the quality and value of their products. He is a member of the Physics Honor Society and many other professional societies.  John is is the co-author of the book Organic Management for the Professional. 
 
For this newsletter, John contributes articles regularly and is responsible for publishing it.


MARK BOWEN
 
Mark is a native Houstonian, a horticulturist, certified permaculturist and organic specialist with a background in garden design, land restoration and organic project management. He is currently the general manager of Nature's Way Resources. Mark is also the co-author of the book Habitat Gardening for Houston and Southeast Texas, the author of the book Naturalistic Landscaping for the Gulf Coast, co-author of theBayou Planting Guide and contributing landscape designer for the book Landscaping Homes: Texas. 
 
With respect to this newsletter, Mark serves as a co-editor and periodic article contributor.



PABLO HERNANDEZ
 
Pablo Hernandez is the special projects coordinator for Nature's Way Resources. His realm of responsibilities include: serving as a webmaster, IT support, technical problem solving/troubleshooting, metrics management, quality control, and he is a certified compost facility operator.
 
Pablo helps this newsletter happen from a technical support standpoint. 


 

 
 
COUPON: Nature's Way Resources. 50% off pomegranates, apples, asian pears and selected antique roses. 
 (Offer good for retail purchases of this product (101 Sherbrook Circle, Conroe TX). Expires 07/30/16.
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